While better known as the foxy brunette projecting sensational sounds from the keys with M83, Morgan Kibby has now taken center stage as White Sea. Last night at the Bootleg HiFi, the limelight was all on Kibby as she mesmerized fans with her spectacular performance in support of her stunning debut record, In Cold Blood. Fashioned in a gothic floor-length black dress with a snazzy matching cape and a low cut frontal, Kibby’s sultry appearance wasn’t the only thing commanding our attention. Although Grimy Goods had previously covered White Sea’s live performances twice — once at the Hollywood Palladium opening up for Phantogram and in 2011 at the Echoplex — this was the first time I was able to personally witness a live White Sea concert.
With pristine vocals that can hit epic falsettos sure to make Mariah Carey jealous, Kibby commanded our attention. Willfully, everyone in the room was spellbound by the sheer radiance of her anthemic and at time operatic vocals, and of course her inviting stage presence. “I can’t believe she sounds just like her album, but actually even better,” shouted a gleaming fan right next to me. It was true; Kibby’s voice and arrangements combined with her band’s thunderous talents absolutely amazed the entire room. We were blissfully catatonic while songs such as “Future Husbands Past Lives” took us for a spin of neo-80s synth pop nostalgia. From a short Danny Trejo look-alike to your typical Silver Lake hipster, everyone was swaying to the beats and wishing they could sing as powerfully as Kibby. Her performance literally gave me goosebumps.
While every song on White Sea’s seven-song set list was performed with with the utmost excellence, my personal favorites were the aforementioned “Future Husbands Past Lives” and the explosive show closer, “Prague”. As the closing song of White Sea’s set, Kibby pushed her keyboard to the side and owned the crowd before her. Working the stage like it was nobody’s business — she headbanged, kicked and emoted pure passion through her body language. It was a most moving performance where not a second was wasted anywhere else but with eyes fixed on White Sea.
Check out our photo gallery White Sea at the Bootleg HiFi! We also have some great photos of the opening act Nabiha.
Words: Sandra Burciaga
Photography: Ceethreedom
White Sea at Bootleg HiFi Set list:
1. Ex-Pat
2. Flash
3. Future Husbands Past Lives
4. It Will End in Disaster
5. New York Loves You
6. They Don’t Know
7. Prague
Want more photos? Check out the photo gallery below!
